INSIDER'SACCESS

Go Surfing in the Most Isolated Country on Earth: North Korea

Cynthia Chou

Jul 21, 2016

Surfing is a rising sport all around the world, with an estimated 23 million fans worldwide feeding a 7.23 billion dollar industry. And while it doesn't surprise us to hear that wave-catching has stretched far out of Hawaii, the Gold Coast and SoCal, we never expected the fad to be such a hit in its latest destination: North Korea.

After inviting three of the world’s best snowboarders to try out its new ski resort in January, the country seems to be on a tourism-stimulus-spree. Famous for the bold antics of their Supreme Leader and his countless human-rights trespasses, North Korea may be one of the last places anyone would want to take their boards.
But the surfers who have ventured to Pyongyang since 2014 have reported that the waters of Shijun and Majon Beach are actually closer to a surfer’s paradise than you’d expect. Quiet and void of tourists, the clear blue waves break on pristine white-sand beaches surrounded by lush greenery. One surfer compared the natural beauty to that of New Zealand and noted that grinding waves up to 10 feet can be found on good days.

Intrigued?
URI Tours
is planning to introduce this little-known travel destination to the masses with their project
Surf North Korea
. Founded by ex-Wall Street lawyer Andrea Lee and the coach of China’s national surf team Nik Zanella, they are debuting an 8-day “North Korea Surf + SUP Diplomacy Trip” starting September 30, 2016. For the price of $2050, you and a buddy can see the iconic sights of Pyongyang (albeit in a tightly-guided and highly-censored manner, of course) before heading to the east coast to hit the breaks.
But more than the surfing itself, this trip offers a rare glimpse into one of the most isolated countries on Earth. The novelty factor as well as the lack of crowds can be big incentives for seasoned surfers - but all this comes with some downfalls. For one, visitors are banned from bringing mobile phones into the country, not to mention copies of “The Interview” (yes, it’s official policy). You’ll also have to follow the strict propaganda rules, and God-forbid you fall ill and resort to the crumbling healthcare system.
Surf trip, anyone?

Looking for some surf a little closer to home? You gotta check out
Tofino
.